A good win against a good team is exactly the way to set yourself up for a big challenge, and Arsenal’s 3-0 away win at Brighton was exactly that. Goals from Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard showed exactly the quality that the Gunners have and against a side who had lost just one home game all season and taken points off title rivals Liverpool at the Amex.
Mikel Arteta will have been delighted — albeit perhaps still frustrated — that despite winning 10 of the last 11, the only draw being against Manchester City, he could still be sent back down to second should Liverpool win at Manchester United later today.
«We're going to have to play Aston Villa at home and that's going to be a really tough match,» he said. «We’ve won 10 and drawn one of the last 11 and we're not top of the league. It's like 'come on!' — but that's the level.»
With that in mind, football.london takes a look back at the game to provide our successes and frustrations from the clash. With wins so comprehensive, the challenge of finding both sides can be tough, but it is always constructive which brings only more optimism.
His highest-scoring Premier League season has arrived after Havertz scored his ninth goal of the campaign, and it was perhaps the easiest finish of the lot. That said, his movement and effort throughout the game and particularly for his goal were sublime.
He didn't stop running all game and showcased some of his best work in both defensive and offensive thirds. His assist for the third goal is yet another example of how he has come on leaps on bounds after starting the season playing it too safe at times he is full of confidence.
He goes into the biggest game of Arsenal's European history of the past decade as their starting
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